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Medicaid is a lifeline for nursing home residents and other long-term care consumers. But that lifeline may be taken away. The US House of Representatives has just issued a proposal to change the Medicaid program by going to a system of per capita caps. The proposal is part of a plan to replace the Affordable Care Act. These changes to Medicaid would be devastating to nursing home residents and other long-term care consumers. Tell your members of congress to oppose per capita caps!

Here’s why per capita caps are so harmful:

They only give states a fixed amount of money per Medicaid beneficiary. The amount doesn’t change over time, so the result is a massive cut in Medicaid funding. For long-term care consumers, this means:

Services/coverage would be drastically reduced or eliminated.

Eligibility standards would be tightened, making it harder to get into a nursing home or receive home and community-based services.

The personal needs allowance for nursing home residents could be slashed to the federally required minimum of $30 per month, leaving residents with even less money for items like clothing or hair cuts.

Nursing home quality care would decline because nursing homes would cut staff and there would be fewer nursing home inspectors (surveyors).To learn more about per capita caps and how they can hurt nursing home residents, other long-term care consumers and their families, go to our webpage on preserving Medicaid.

The Consumer Voice envisions a world in which all consumers of long-term care, services and supports are treated with respect and dignity and have a wide range of affordable, quality options across all settings.